Key-striking mechanism for musical instruments.



PATENTED MAR; 24, 1908.

F. L. YOUNG. KEY ST-RIKING MECHANISM FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.14.1905.

0'. WASHINGTON, n! c.

UN ITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS L. YOUNG, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE AEOLIAN COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

KEY-STRIKING MECHANISM FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS L. YOUNG, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, New York, (postofiice address Aeolian Hall, 362 Fifth avenue, New York city,) have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Key-Striking Mechanism for Musical Instruments, of which the following is a specification accompanied by drawings.

By the expression key striking mechanism for musical instruments I mean to include mechanism embodied in a piano for actuating the key levers at any convenient point in their length as well as mechanism for striking the exposed ends of the keys of pianos and other keyboard instruments, and thereby playing such instruments.

The object of the invention is to simulate more closely than has heretofore been done, the proper manual actuation of the pianoforte keys, which I have observed is more in the nature of a blow than mere pressure, the latter being more suitable for organ playing. This object the present invention accom plishes by means which actuate the fingers (by which term I mean to include any form of element which strikes the key lever at any point of its length) in a highly elastic manner so as to cause the striking part to acquire a high striking momentum before it begins to impart movement to the key lever.

In the drawings Figure 1 illustrates a pianola partly broken away to show my invention and in position for playing a grand piano. Fig. 2 shows a detail of one of the striking fingers and compound lever mechanism for actuating it. I

Preferably the movement of the finger f is very much greater than the movement which it imparts to the key 7c, and to'better store up the-vie viva and approximate the impact of the human hand, I prefer to weight the finger f as shown at W. In Fig. 2 the relative position of the finger and key when at rest is shown in full and the position when the key lever is depressed by the finger is shown in dotted lines. It will be seen that the finger f in its descent to strike the key moves through about three fourths of its e11- tire range of motion before reaching the key and the mechanism which actuates it gives to it a high velocity and a quality of touch upon the key which approximates closely to the best form of human touch.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. November 14, 1905.

Patented March 24, 1908.

Serial No. 287,244.

At 8 is shown the striking pneumatic connected by a rod 7 with a lever L having a fixed pivot Z at any convenient position in the instrument. One arm of the lever L is actuated by the rod 1* and the other end is pivoted to the finger f at f. .The finger f has therefore a movable fulcrum or center at f. The finger f has a second center or pivot f where a link 9 is secured for actuating it, this link 9 being pivoted at g to a lever h which is pivoted at h to the lever L and at its lowerend terminates in a small pin it extending through a fixed portion p of the instrument. These various parts should be so laid out and designed, as for example is shown in the drawings, that the center f of the finger f is moved oppositely to the movement of the center f and thereby a multiplied motion is given to the finger In the form shown, when the rod 1" is drawn to the left by the pneumatic s and the lower end of the lever Lmoved to the left, the lever h is moved toward the left and upwards by its pivot h and thereby forces the center g and link 9 upwards, thrusting up the center f of the finger f. Simultaneously the lever L carries the center f of the finger f downwards and causes the finger to strike the key it after acquiring a high velocity and momentum before striking the key.

It will be apparent to any mechanic that the mechanism described can be varied in form and also in the numb er of its parts at W111 without any the less embodying my invention.

I have selected for illustration an application of the invention to a pianola having the striking pneumatics placed vertically and a right-angle or bell crank form of lever, but the application of the invention to hori- Zonta ly disposed pneumatics and a consequent straight form of lever will be apparent.

I am aware that it is old to insert weights in key-levers and other parts of piano actions to affect their balance, but in my device, and particularly under the most specific claims, the weight adds to the inertia of the striking finger, and causes more work to be done upon it by the pneumatic in imparting velocity to it before the key is struck. The momentum and velocity is continuously accelerated up to the moment of touching the key, because there is nothing but friction and the inertia of the parts to resist the continual increase of velocity under the force of the pneumatic up to the instant of striking.

I am aware that striking fingers have been actuated by means of constantly rotat ng cylinders, but of course this cyhnder, having definite velocity, imparts a proportionate "a velocity to the finger, which velocity is not thereafter accelerated.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is the following:

1. In combination in key striking mechanism, a striking finger, a striking pneumatic by which said finger is actuated, and actuating connections extending between the two and including means for giving a high momentum to the finger before it strikes the key, for substantially the purposes set forth.

2. In key striking mechanism the combination of a striking pneumatic, a striking finger and actuating connections including a compound lever mechanism for actuating the finger by the power of the pneumatlc.

8. In key striking mechanism the combination of a striking pneumatic, a striking finger and actuating connections deriving their power from the pneumatic and including a compound lever mechanism having a fixed center, a movable arm actuated by the pneumatic and a second movable arm connected to the finger, for substantially the purposes set forth.

4. In key striking mechanism the combination of a striking pneumatic, a striking finger and actuating connections including a compound lever mechanism having a lever with a normally fixed center, and with a pivotal connection with the finger and an intermediate connection from said lever to another part of the said finger, for substantially the purposes set forth.

5. In key striking mechanism the combination of a striking pneumatic, a striking finger and actuating connections including a compound lever mechanism connected to actuate the finger at two different points, for substantially the purposes set forth.

6. A striking finger for musical instruments, a movable fulcrum or pivot for the said finger, actuating means for giving movement to the said fulcrum or pivot, and connections pivoted to the said finger at another point whereby the said finger has a compound striking movement substantially as set forth.

7. In key striking mechanism, a striking pneumatic, a striking finger, and connections between said pneumatic and said finger pivoted at two separated points on the latter and operative to move said finger at such points simultaneously in opposite directions.

8. In key striking mechanism, a striking pneumatic, a striking finger, and connections between said pneumatic and said finger for simultaneously applying force to and moving the rear end of said finger upward and applying force to and moving a point between its ends downward.

9. In combination in key striking mechanis'm, a striking finger having two ivotal points, and actuating connections t erefor including a compound lever and arms extending therefrom to said finger at each of said points for moving the same in opposite directions.

10. In striking mechanism, a striking finger and actuating connections including a compound lever mechanism having a fixed center, a movable arm actuated by suitable means and pivoted to said finger at one point, and a second movable arm connected to the finger at another point, for substantially the purposes set forth.

' 11. In key striking mechanism a striking finger and actuating connections including a compound lever mechanism having a lever with a normally fixed center, a pivotal connection with the finger and an intermediate connection from the lever to another part of the said finger, for substantially the purposes set forth.

12-. In key striking mechanism for musical instruments, a striking finger weighted at its striking end and an actuating pneumatic and connections therefrom for actuating the finger, proportioned to multiply the movement of the pneumatic in giving movement to the finger whereby the momentum of the weighted striking end effects a hammer-like blow, for substantially the purposes set forth.

13. In key striking mechanism a striking finger weighted at its striking end whereby the inertia of said weighted end may produce a hammer-like blow, for substantially the purposes set forth.

14. In combination with the keys of a piano, a plurality of striking fin ers for actuating the keys, said striking i-ngers being mounted to have a path of movement through free space before reaching and actuating the keys, and pneumatic actuating IHOChflHISIII for giving such movement to the said fingers, for substantially the purposes set forth.

15. In combination with the keys of a piano, a plurality of striking fin ers for actuating the keys, said striking fingers being mounted to have a path of movement through free space before reaching and actuating the keys, and pneumatic actuating mechanism for giving such movement to the said fingers, said fingers having weights adjacent to their striking ends, for substantially the purposes set forth.

16. In combination with the keys of a piano, striking fingers therefor, and means for imparting a gradually and continuously accelerated velocity to thefingers before they strike the keys, for substantially the purposes set forth.

17. In combination with the keys of a piano, striking fingers therefor, and pneumatic means for giving to the fingers movements which are great as compared with the movements of the keys, whereby the said.finspecification in the presence of two subscribgers may have a greater movement before ing Witnesses. reaching the keys in their descent than 1s given to the keys, said means acting to grad- FRANCIS YOUNG' ually and continuously accelerate the move- Witnesses:

ment of the fingers until they reach the keys. W. C. MANSFIELD,

In testimony whereof I have signed this D. O. HEINS. 

